CHENNAI: Inept evaluation of students’ answer scripts by has once again proved to be an expensive mistake. This has left an engineering student from Coimbatore unable to apply to foreign universities to pursue his postgraduation. After reevaluation attempts turned futile, the student approached the , which in October ordered an independent re-evaluation by two experts and sought a report on December 2.

The university staff has evaluated two of his answer scripts incorrectly for exams held in November 2017. S Manimaran, pursuing mechanical engineering at a private institution affiliated to Anna University — deserved a score of 85 and 68 in the papers Dynamics of Machines and Heat & Mass Transfer, according to an internal evaluation done by his college and a cross-verification with answer keys. But he was awarded only 49 and 48.

Academic records of Manimaran suggest that he secured 80 or above in most papers at ease. The incorrect evaluation has brought down his overall score to less than 80%, the minimum score required for admission into top foreign universities. The papers in contention were the only subjects in which he scored less than 50.

Shocked with the result released in December last year, Manimaran applied for copies of his answer scripts, ?paying 300 for each paper. His college staff evaluated them based on the answer keys and suggested he deserved a much higher score.

So, Manimaran applied for re-evaluation at ?200 per subject, but saw no change in score. He later challenged the reevaluated answer scripts and but saw no relief from the university. Manimaran then approached the Madras high court.

“The re-evaluation was done in the same mechanical manner without any application of mind,” Manimaran alleged in his petition filed with the court. The court, convinced that the evaluation was not done properly, directed reevaluation of the scripts. The court directed Rajendra Boopathy, head of the mechanics department, university campus, Chennai and another professor to re-evaluate the papers and do the same independently if they disagree and has set December 2 as deadline to submit a report.

University sources said Boopathy wrote to the controller of examinations stating he is not well versed in both the subjects and has recommended two other subject experts for the evaluation. “If the court accepts the submission, we will evaluate the papers,” the source added. Download The Times of India for Latest .